Another collected Bald Cypress!

[Lumpkinz]

I took some advice from HENDO after posting my first collected BC and went back for something bigger with more root flare. Today was a sunny 50° after a terrible ice storm here in Houston that knocked out power for a few days. The tree took about an hour to get out of the ground, and a bit longer to haul it back to the truck lol.
I plan on using a mix of fine pinebark, peat moss, and expanded shale or maybe pumice, but I'm open to any and all advice. Especially with where to chop the trunk. Stands about 6ft high currently

 

[BonsaiDTLA]

 

[leatherback]

My opinion is worth jack nothing for this species as they do not occur where I live and I have never grown one, and am very pleased to see the roots trimmed IF this still is viable; probably is.

That being said.. I think you will never get a smooth taper back in the trunk after a good chop. So, were this mine.. I would decide on the final height of the tree, and chop at that point. Aim for a tall formal upright. Over the years, when branches pop, carve taper in the trunk, leaving living sections to service the branches, but create a nice delicate taper leaving a decent top yin in place.

Or go manic with carving tools, leave the top yin idea behind and open the trunk up; Bonsaibark.com has this example:

 

[HENDO]

Great job collecting another piece of material before the end of optimal collecting window this season. This has much more potential than the last one you posted, mainly at the nebari.

I know from experience that it is incredibly difficult to show BC taper in pictures, but certainly this is lacking somewhat. No matter, it will be a fun project and you have a couple of options, pyramidal upright or flat top.

Definitely @leatherback suggestion would be a good carving project. You could chop it flat somewhere around where @BonsaiDTLA drew and select your front leader, start developing branches lower down. I wouldn't do any carving until you find your leader and have good primary branches selected, sometime next year.

Option 2 is to go with a flat top. Here's a similar piece of material I had, and did something like John Geanangel has shown with multiple leaders. I believe @Dav4 has a really nice example of a taller at top as well.



Your soil mix seems great for development, I wouldn't get any fancier at this stage.